Robot ready for use by MFHS CTE program
By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula
All that stands between Marble Falls High School engineering students and learning how to operate a high-tech FANUC robot is Christmas break and the teacher’s online certification exam.
Randy Guffey, aerospace engineering teacher, completed his on-site training at Tech-Labs. Now he just lacks a few online courses followed by an online exam, he said Thursday, Dec. 4. “Once I’m certified, I’ll be able to certify students,” Guffey explained, adding that he’ll take the exam within the next few weeks.
The training was “challenging but well-done,” he said. “They want you to go away from training with the skills to get started and go from there.”
Every student in Guffey’s aerospace engineering class was excited about getting their paws on the FANUC controls in January.
While watching the robot bend and move tirelessly, one student commented on how “amazing” it is. “Whenever I see these things I wonder what’s next, how far can we get,” said junior Eric Avalos.
Another student was impressed by the universality of the robot’s programming system.
“We can come out of here with the certification to operate any FANUC robot,” said senior Connor White. There are many industries that use robots like the one waiting behind glass in their classroom: everything from welding, applying epoxy, and setting screws at specific tensions, White said.
Pharmaceutical companies use FANUC robots to count and sort medication, at dizzying speeds. And it doesn’t even need a coffee break.
The FANUC robot is a product of FANUC America, a robotics company that accounts for about 70 percent of the industrial robotics market share, Guffey said in an earlier report.
The robot, installation and software cost about $37,000, which was paid for out of the $2.4 million of bond money allocated to the career and technical education (CTE) program. The week-long training would cost $300,000 alone, but the district was able to take advantage of a program with Tech-Labs that included training in a reduced base cost.
